Drophead sewer auger and shield



A. SILVERMAN 2,779,041

DROPHEAD SEWER AUGER AND SHIELD Jan. 29, 1957 Filed May 11, 1955 INVENTOR. ABRAHAM 5/4 VE2MAH Patented DROPHEAD SEWER AUGER AND SHIELD Abraham Silverman, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application May 11, 1955, Serial No. 507,611

8 Claims. (Cl. 15-4043) This invention relates generally to pipe cleaning tools and more particularly to drain pipe and sewer augers.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a flexible shield covering the hinged joint of a drophead or downhead on a drain pipe or sewer auger. An auger pivoted to the end of a clean out cable which permits the gimlet end to drop of its own accord as it comes to a vented drain, is a drophead. The point dropping down aids in guiding the auger down the drain and not up the vent. A hinged drophead produces an exposed corner that will catch on bends when being withdrawn from the drain. A flexible sleeve whether constructed of flexible wire, rubber or other elastomer material, when fastened to one part of the head and extending to cover the hinged joint of the pivoted head will deflect the head otf the corner preventing the auger from catching in the drain.

This resilient sleeve is preferably spaced from the joint parts themselves so that they have complete freedom of movement. However, the sleeve shield engages the corner and when partially flexed causes the joined parts to jump free of the corner. These sleeves may be secured to the auger head and extend back over the joined parts or they may be secured to the line or snake and extend forwardly over the joined parts.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawings show for the purpose of exemplification without limiting the invention or claims thereto certain practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of an auger having a downhead with a resilient shield made of wire, the other end of which forms the perforating point of the auger.

Pig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing an elastomer shield extending rearwardly over the downhead joint.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing an elastomer shield extending forwardly over the downhead joint.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the flexible snake 1 is made up of wound wire 2 over a cable core indicated at 3. This snake or pipe cleaning line has a connector sleeve 4 on its rear end, which sleeve is hollow for the purpose of attaching to a longer piece of snake or line of similar character. The opposite end is provided with a sleeve 5 which is secured to the exterior of the last few turns of the wire 2 by squeezing this sleeve to pinch the sleeve as at 6 to firmly secure the same to the flexible line 1. The sleeve 5 has a forwardly extending eye member 7, which has a large opening 8. This eye is on a post member lb extending from the sleeve 5 and formed integral therewith, so as to position the opening 8 of the eye beyond the sleeve. The head member 11 has a sleeve or hollow portion 12 and a neck 13. The hollow portion 12 has a pin 14 traversing the same and passing through the opening 8 of the eye 7. It will be noted that the pin 14 is materially smaller than the opening 8 in the eye, which permits limited relative rotary movement of the head on the snake as well as a pivoting movement. When pivoted, the end of the sleeve 12 as indicated at 15, is prevented from striking the post 10 by reason of the outer turns 16 on the free end of the sleeve or shield 17 first striking against the sleeve 5. However, the shield 17, which is made up of the spaced turns of wire 18 is quite resilient, and when the head 11 drops of its own weight the resiliency of the shield causes the last or free turns to flex slightly. Any pressure applied thereto would create a greater deflection causing the combined spiral and helical loops of the shield to collapse under pressure, which after it reaches a predetermined amount of pressure will cause the head to jump and thus free it from any obstruction.

The head 11 is provided with grooves, as indicated at 20 to receive the wire 18 that is wound closely in tight formation to form a clamp on the perimeter of the neck 13. This winding of the spring in this manner tightly secures the whole of the spring in the form of the shield 17 and also provides the penetrating hook or hit 21 fixed relatively to the neck 13. It will be noticed that the penetrating hook 21 is provided with separated turns in order to make it partially resilient.

As shown in Fig. 3 the end of the snake 1 is provided with the same type of sleeve 5 and head member 11. However, the sleeve 12 of the head is covered by a flexible elastomer member indicated at 22, secured to the head 12 by the turns 23 of the wire 18, forming the clamping section and the penetrating hook or bit 21. The resilient sleeve 22 functions in the same manner as the sleeve 17, that is to shield the parts, and particularly the joints, so that when the head is being employed the sleeve will engage any corners or other obstacles in the drain and will become flexed until the resistance to flexure reaches the maximum, causing the head to jump relative to the drain and thus relieve the head from the sharp corner or other obstacle in the drain.

As shown in Fig. 4, the snake or cleaning line 1 is provided with a few turns of the coil 24 to secure the elastomer sleeve 25 relative to the end of the snake. This sleeve extends forward of the joint made by the sleeve 5 and its head member 11, thus protecting the same from engagement by any sharp corners in the drain when moved in either direction. The penetrating hook or bit 21 is formed on the end of the clamping turns which are secured in the grooved surface of the head 13 and this wire extends downwardly over the sleeve 12 and well within the confines of the forwardly extending resilient shield member 25. In this structure the fact that the sleeve extends over the joint formed between the pin 14 and the eye 7 prevents the edges of the sleeve 12 of the head from engaging the sharp portions of the drain. If these portions are engaged, the sleeve itself functions as a skid to aid the sharp portions of the drophead from being lodged and merely skids them over these corners.

At the same time the flexible elastomer sleeve 25 functions in the same manner as the sleeves 22 and 17 and permits the head to drop without disturbing or otherwise detracting from the guiding characteristics of the drophead.

i claim:

I. A downhead closet auger comprising a flexible snake, a body member secured to the end of the snake, a head memberypivot means attaching the head member to the body member to permit said head member to freely pivot on said body member, an outwardly projecting bit on said head member, and a flexible annular shield secured to one of said members and extending over said pivot means and a portion of the other of said members.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that said flexible shield is a formed coil of wire.

3.'The structure of claim 1 characterized in that said flexible shield is an elastomer shield.

4. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that said flexible shield changes in diameter being small where attached to said member and becoming larger at its other end.

5. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that the free end of said shield engages said ether member when said head member swings on said pivot means.

6 The structure of claim 1 characterized in that said flexible shield and said bit are opposite ends of a single formed coil of Wire fastened 0n said head member.

7. The structure or" claim 1 characterized in that said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 984,473 Cornelius Feb. 14, 1911 2,241,569 Schouler May 13, 1941 2269,496 Crane Ian. 6, 1942 2,433 ,948 Good Ian. 6. 1948 

